Grappling Hook, Fox Viper, Safe Attacking, Snapback, Aged Sensei
Discard
Morningstar Flagbearer, Fox Primus, Sensei’s Advice
Think
I think this matchup favours him. I think black v white is white favour, but I don’t think peace will help me here. That said, with this map card, it might actually make peace better, because it’ll allow me to cycle my deck and I don’t have to spend cards to worker to get to that point. So I don’t know, we’ll see how this shakes out. Martial Mastery could end up being an important card here.
Squad Leader: Poisonblade Rogue 2/1A poison on attacks
Elite:
Scavenger:
Technician:
Lookout:
In Play:
Pestering Haunt
Skeletal Archery
Buildings:
Base HP: 20
Economy Info: Cards:
Hand: 4
Deck: 1
Disc: 2
Gold:
Gold: 0
Workers: 6
Thoughts
SO, I am forced to keep summon skeletons and skeletal archery. Maybe I go skeletons then? Except he has DeGrey in his codex… I also want to get Graveyard on the field. Hmmm. This turn, I need to watch out for sensei’s advice, which would allow him to get a hero kill if I am incautious (Smoker kills a SQL rogue, monk kills a hero). But how do I actually dodge that? Just not play a hero? I feel kind of on the ropes already because he could play 2 units T1 to get advice value with no drawback on cards, and my draw means I can’t answer with two patrolling units! I can’t let him get a high level rook too soon, so I really am going to take the hit and thin out the upgrade now I think, at a significant loss of tempo I may regain later i hope…
Tech 2 card(s)
Get Paid - ($6)
Worker - ($5)
Jandra - ($2)
Tech 1 - ($1)
Deteriorate sensei, you get gold
Float ($1)
Discard 2, draw 1, reshuffle, draw 3
Board Info: In Patrol:
Squad Leader: Jandra, the Negator
Elite:
Scavenger:
Technician:
Lookout:
In Play:
Skeletal Archery
Buildings:
Base HP: 20
Economy Info: Cards:
Hand: 4
Deck: 6
Disc: 0
Gold:
Gold: 1
Workers: 7
Thoughts
He killed my 2 drop and my 0 drop with his 2 and 1 without them dieing, his upgrade is relevant whilst mine is rubbish and he is a card up on me after turn 2. I would bet on him winning this game on pretty good odds. Jandra is a good thing to drop mow as she can actually trade with things despite safe attacking, so let’s go for that. I need an answer to what is going to be BIRDS (he is ahead, he can take the time to play the game’s best(?) spell) and answer Rook… Time for something drastic I think. Lich’s Bargains again. The skeletons can kill birds and the horror rook, hopefully. Now, do I use that last gold or play a deteriorate or neither? The skeleton doesn’t even trade due to safe attacking, so probs not. Deteriorate sensei means he has to use an advice to actually kill Jandra in SQL, which seems worth it for the card down.
Man, safe attacking is really good. I am just building board. I wonder what his strategy will be to regain control? Lich’s Bargain perhaps? I can’t decide which tech 2 to go. Maybe Strength if he wants to bargain on skeletons…
Jandra, the Negator
Lich’s Bargain
Graveyard
Sacrifice the Weak
Plague Spitter
Doom Grasp
Tech 2 card(s)
Get Paid + float - ($8)
Worker - ($7)
Garth - ($5)
Lich’s Bargain, my base to 16, remain at 7 workers, horde arrives - ($3)
Another Skeleton - ($2)
Poisonblade Rogue - ($0)
Pestering Haunt
Float ($0)
Discard 2, draw 4
Board Info: In Patrol:
Squad Leader: Horror 3/3A Deathtouch
Elite: Skeleton 2/1 [anti-air, long range]
Scavenger: Poisonblade Rogue 2/1
Technician: Skeleton 1/1 [anti-air, long range]
Lookout: Zombie 2/2
In Play:
Skeletal Archery
Poisonblade Rogue 2/1A poison on attacks
Garth L1 (1/3)
Pestering Haunt 1/1 unstoppable ghostie
Buildings:
Base HP: 20
Economy Info: Cards:
Hand: 4
Deck: 1
Disc: 6
Gold:
Gold: 0
Workers: 7
Thoughts
Mob defence. How to patrol? safe attacking means that one skeleton won’t shoot down a bird. I think I put horror first because I need to make getting through costly - he could still kill it with a sparred, sensei’d monk though. That does tap three of his things to get through SQL. Then, he uses moker just to take out my Elite skeleton if I put one there. However, I need 3 anti air attack to take out a sparred, safe/advised bird, so I will put it there to compel the trade. I can play another LB next turn, along with more skeletons, and maybe I can stabilise? Not sure though, he has me in a rout atm. I hope to catch Rook pre-max level with the Doom grasp the turn after next if possible. I would love to tech DPs on this map, but atm I need answers to Rook and birds.
Clearing his board while only losing one unit seems pretty good. There may have been a better line, but I can’t see it. If anyone has one, tell me so I can learn.
As for the game state, this is ok. We’ll move into peace engine I think, as thunderclap will handily defuse any more lich’s bargains. Let the drawing commence!
Ya know what, let’s skip to the end here - GG With no units in my hand that can even pierce safe attacking to trade, birds which are about to get runes, a second hero on the way for you, the potential for Thunderclap even if I manage to play another LB - which I have in my hand but can’t put down this turn anyway - and more flooding to come once the garrisons are down with no hope of getting to my AOE effects in time… I can’t win this. Well played!
Your two-unit first turn into my T1 draw of nothing that could even trade once safe attacking or Advice was down was too rough for me. If anyone has an idea what I could have played there to have a chance let me know. I went for both units and also the upgrade to thin my deck, but maybe I should have even just saved my gold, not played the rogue, and taken the hit on my base as it literally did nothing! That would have been an interesting opening and maybe better.
Hmm yes, your turn 1 hand was unfortunate. However, you might a slight miscalculation which could’ve been in your favour had you known; I cannot target smoker with sensei’s advice, as he would return to my hand.
Knowing that, you still weren’t completely safe playing a hero turn 1 if I had both advice and grappling hook.
I think going down on cards early with an upgrade that does nothing (essentially) is far worse than saving your gold, or not playing a different card and getting the upgrade out of your cycle. Just taking 2 base damage there wasn’t that bad, and with extra gold your response can be better.
Black does have trouble with defence, given that both its ‘beefy’ health units cost 3, and white puts so much early pressure on it can be quite hard to deal with. I’d perhaps ask @FrozenStorm, an accomplished black player to weigh in for better advice.
Orpal is your king as p2 black. He stands in as a blocker to stymie rushes. PBR sql and orpal elite would have been a solid p1 turn. Sickness is also good early tech if you think he’ll live.
EDIT TO ADD (was on mobile earlier)
Lich’s Bargain wasn’t a bad choice, nor was Archery (against Birds it’s decent). But the biggest problem against White P1 (especially in this format where it can play extra cards without penalty) is it’s really tough to stop it from making highly favorable trades on board and hoard a ton of attackers to continue doing so. So Sickness and Deteriorate and Orpal max are really your best options at crowd controlling. Haunt can help put that one extra damage too, and Skeletons can help cover and be fodder for rune placement.
But it’s tough sledding. I got owned by it also this round P1 White on this map has a strong advantage, where it’s already pretty good as P1 generally, and you’re right that your starting hand didn’t do you a ton of favors.
What I probably would have done would’ve been:
T1: PBR in scav + Haunt, float 2. Elite’s also an option for PBR, b/c you want to do your best to force at least one attacker off the board
T2: if you get scav gold: Max Orpal + Jav + Worker, sac Jav to clear some weanies out, Tech Sickness x2 or maybe a DnD if you’re feeling frisky
If no scav gold, Jandra + Tech 1, tech 2x Sickness, float 3, and plan to use Orpal next turn